Michael Allison breaks three records in Javelin and wins medals at four Championships
Michael Allison, who last year won gold at the England Athletics Under 20 Championships and went on to represent GB at the World Athletics Under 20 Championships in Columbia (where he qualified for the final), has achieved further success in 2023.
Gold at the England Athletics U20 Championships in June (see here).
Silver as part of the GB Juniors team at the Mannheim International a week later (see here).
Silver at the UK Athletics Championships in July.
Bronze at the European Athletics U20 Championships in Jerusalem in August (see here).
His throw of 76.97m at the England Athletics U20 Championships broke the club record for both under 20 men and senior men and also broke the Championship record!
His bronze at the European Athletics U20 Championships is the first medal in javelin for a GB team member in an ‘able-bodied’ major tournament since 2008 (note Dan Pembroke’s gold in the 2021 Paralympics) and the first in that tournament since Steve Backley in 1987!
Michael had been a high jumper when younger and was a keen rugby player. He taught himself to throw javelin during the covid lockdown with a 700g javelin, watching YouTube and throwing on his village football pitch. His first throw for Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club was in June 2021, when he threw 57.45m with a 800g javelin aged 17 in the National League. He had some coaching sessions with Ashley Fox in the summer of 2021, won at the National League match in August and then met his future coach Tom Dobbing at the UK Javelin Throw Association Javelin Competition in September 2021 when he threw 61.59m.
Michael and his coach Tom Dobbing have been planning out the next 2 years. There should be more medals, more PBs and hopefully the first UK men’s throw over 80m since 2019. Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club wish you all the best Michael!
See here for all of Michael’s results.
Written September 2023